William Collins, Broker Associate

The South Orange Middle School at 70 North Ridgewood Road in South Orange is the venue for a wine lovers treat. The class is being hosted by the South Orange - Maplewood Adult school. Attendees will come away with a better understanding of the wine producing regions of France. In addition to learning about the various types of grapes grown in France, you'll also get an opportunity to appreciate the 18th century architecture of french cathedrals and chateaus to be shared in a slide presentation. Each person in attendance will receive information, useful in planning a visit to France. The class will be held October 22, 2008 from 7 - 9 p.m.

For more information contact Diane Letulle at 973-378-7620 or schoolinfo@somadultschool.org. You may visit the school's website for additional offerings at http://www.somadultschool.org.

Some Americans are lifting their voices in an concerted effort to make Washington D.C. sit up and take notice. The notice being offered is that many Americans feel the need for the government to do right by the average American and not a select 1% of the nation's population, which happens to be the wealthiest.

The Ad Hoc National Network to Stop Foreclosures and Evictions is calling for rallies around the country October 24 - 27, 2008. The purpose of the rallies is to draw attention to specific needs of the many Americans around the country.

Here on the east coast the organization is attempting to stage demonstrations in front of the headquarters of some of the nation's largest financial institutions (JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank and the local Federal Reserve Bank) on October 24, 2008. The demands include:

• Emergency moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions
• No budget cuts in education, healthcare and all social services
• No layoffs, extend unemployment benefits
• No utility shut-offs
• Debt relief for students, poor and working people
• Protect public and private pensions
• Jobs at a living wage

This organized call to action will be the first of its kind in response to the failures of those at the helm of the wall street firms and the shortsighted leadership on Capitol Hill. Whether you agree with the platform of this group or not, it is an important first step in having the thoughts of the average taxpayer voiced on the national financial crisis and the aftermath.

As the foliage continues its journey of ever changing hues and the chill in the air lingers through both day and night, I am reminded of the chores that are ahead of me in preparation for the next season.

That chill in the air reminds me of the importance of ensuring the seals on the storm windows and the weather stripping around the doors are adequate to keep the warmth in and the cold out.

The annual cleaning of air ducts will mitigate the build of more mold spores and dust, helping to create better air quality.

There is still time to evaluate the efficiency of the heating system with the assistance of a professional. Inspecting to ensure that clean filters are in place will help with efficiency and cost savings. This is also a good time to flush the hot water heater to improve its functionality. Call in the chimney sweep in preparation for the warmth generated by the fireplace throughout the season.

Speaking of fires, it is also a wonderful time to inspect fire extinguishers, smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, make sure the batteries are newly installed.

You will want to tour the exterior of the home to make notes of the masonry work needed, wood deterioration and any required caulking. Take a look up and check the roof for missing or shifting shingles. All flashing around joints should be reinforced.Keep the gutters and leaders clean thereby allowing water to flow away from the home.

Take care to tidy up by removing leaves and branches that have fallen and finally drain all exterior faucets.

These few helpful reminders will go along way toward eliminating emergency projects around the home.

On Thursday, October 23, 2008 you are invited to attend A New Era of Rights and Responsibilities:
Civil Unions, Marriage & Estate Planning for Same-Sex Couples, in Maplewood, New Jersey.

Challenges facing same sex couples necesitate customized estate planning to ensure that surviving loved ones are protected.

The symposium will consist of a panel of professionals to include:

Parinaz Cole, Financial Advisor - Merrill Lynch

Jim Cole, Financial Advisor - Merrill Lynch

Debra E. Guston, Attorney - Guston & Guston, L.L.P.

Christopher Bellis, Deputy Director of Development - Lambda Legal

The symposium will run from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Cent' Anni Restaurant located at 5 Highland Place, Maplewood, New jersey 07040. While there is no charge, reservations are required. Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to Matt Allen at Lambda Legal at mallen@lambdalegal.org or 212-809-8585, ext. 254.

The Equal Opportunity & Cultural Diversity Committees of the New Jersey Association of Realtors (NJAR), seeks to engage elementary school age children in an opportunity to learn about fair housing. To accomplish this goal, NJAR committees have initiated a 2009 poster contest!

The association is requesting that poster submissions be cheerful, ingenious and on the subject of fair housing. The winning entries will be featured in NJ REALTOR® Magazine and the message will shared with thousands of children.

Submissions can be made at the office of ERA Queen City Realty, located at 76 South Orange Avenue in South Orange, all submissions must be made by April 30, 2009.

Join us in spreading the word about fair housing and have some fun in the process.